How Do I Rest?
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for He gives to His beloved sleep.”
Psalm 127:1-2 ESV
Rest often comes to mind as a solution when we are so far gone and out of gas that we crash, but this is not life to the full. Rest, although elusive, is without a doubt, an essential gift given to us by our Heavenly Father.
But, with everything in our schedules, how in the world do we achieve any level of rest? Great question!
To keep it simple, We need to release and receive. This is the zen truth of rest for us as sons and daughters of an amazing Dad. Let’s dive deeper…
Release
There are so many things we hold onto that keep us from rest. Responsibilities, expectations, work, worries, failures, struggles, family, friends, FOMO, etc. Our Heavenly Dad desires for us to release all of this to Him. “Cast your cares on me…let it go.” Most of what stops us from rest is what we chose to not trust our heavenly Dad with. It is the “hard ground, weeds and stone” that choke Him out. (Story of the soils) We are kidding ourselves when we think we can handle it better than He can. He just wants us to let Him have it, all of it.
Receive
There is much we leave “on the table” that our Dad is offering us. Peace, comfort, healing, guidance, deep soul care, intimacy, etc. These are key to our rest and the effectiveness of when we rest. He knows what we need to truly rest and recover, so receive it from the One who knows you best (Matt. 11:28). He desires to restore all things to what they were, you first.
When we release what is weighing us down and receive, a pathway to enter into deep rest is paved. Rest becomes less of a thing we do but, a deep sense of being with our heavenly Dad.
Calibration:
- What keeps you from rest? Why?
- What makes you think that your Dad cannot handle whatever it is? Why?
- What are you leaving on your heavenly Dad’s table? How can you receive more of the rest being offered to you?
Psalm 127:1-2 ESV
Rest often comes to mind as a solution when we are so far gone and out of gas that we crash, but this is not life to the full. Rest, although elusive, is without a doubt, an essential gift given to us by our Heavenly Father.
But, with everything in our schedules, how in the world do we achieve any level of rest? Great question!
To keep it simple, We need to release and receive. This is the zen truth of rest for us as sons and daughters of an amazing Dad. Let’s dive deeper…
Release
There are so many things we hold onto that keep us from rest. Responsibilities, expectations, work, worries, failures, struggles, family, friends, FOMO, etc. Our Heavenly Dad desires for us to release all of this to Him. “Cast your cares on me…let it go.” Most of what stops us from rest is what we chose to not trust our heavenly Dad with. It is the “hard ground, weeds and stone” that choke Him out. (Story of the soils) We are kidding ourselves when we think we can handle it better than He can. He just wants us to let Him have it, all of it.
Receive
There is much we leave “on the table” that our Dad is offering us. Peace, comfort, healing, guidance, deep soul care, intimacy, etc. These are key to our rest and the effectiveness of when we rest. He knows what we need to truly rest and recover, so receive it from the One who knows you best (Matt. 11:28). He desires to restore all things to what they were, you first.
When we release what is weighing us down and receive, a pathway to enter into deep rest is paved. Rest becomes less of a thing we do but, a deep sense of being with our heavenly Dad.
Calibration:
- What keeps you from rest? Why?
- What makes you think that your Dad cannot handle whatever it is? Why?
- What are you leaving on your heavenly Dad’s table? How can you receive more of the rest being offered to you?
Posted in Rest Series
Posted in rest, rest, release, receive, release and receive, the path blog, rest series
Posted in rest, rest, release, receive, release and receive, the path blog, rest series
Recent
Archive
2024
May
2023
February
True CommunityTwo Kinds of LoyaltyGiving Grace in CommunityJesus’ Invitations into True CommunityHumility in True Community“No Matter What…”Do We Live Like Jesus is King?How's Your Heart?Kingdom of ChaosKingdom of RestThe Problem of RestA Different StoryReceiving RestHow Do I Rest?Release and Receive: An ExerciseThe Prodigal SonOlder Brother
March
2022
2021
January
March
July
September
October
November
2020
April
June